The Rancher's Cinderella Bride Read online

  “I’ll join you in the kitchen. I’m putting on my jeans and a T-shirt and maybe you’ll see me more the way you always have.”

  “Okay. I’ll meet you in the kitchen,” he said, leaning close and catching her chin between his thumb and forefinger, “but, Meg, darlin’, you could come out covered from head to toe in gunnysacks and I’ll never again in this lifetime see you the way I did before we kissed.”

  “Try,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him while her heartbeat still raced and she fought walking back into his arms and going to bed with him tonight.

  He smiled. “See you downstairs. I’ll go step into the walk-in freezer and see if I can cool down a little. I’ll try to stop thinking about you changing clothes, unless you want me to stay and help with that zipper.”

  “No, I don’t. Aren’t you getting my message?” she snapped and then realized he had been teasing as he left laughing at getting her riled up over his suggestion. She crossed the room and closed the door because she didn’t want him popping back in. She let out her breath. How was she going to live in his house, go out with him, continue to kiss him and avoid falling in love with him?

  Six

  Gabe went downstairs and wished his body would cool down. From the moment she had opened her door to greet him for the evening, he had been in shock over her looks, on fire with wanting her in his arms and wishing he could make love to her all night long.

  Why hadn’t he ever noticed her like this before? Her hair made a huge difference, but he should have been able to see beyond that. Makeup made a difference, too, but again, he should have seen her natural beauty and sexy appeal. He supposed he had known her so long, he never really looked at her. He did now and he didn’t want to stop looking. Blonde or brunette, headband or long, flowing hair, makeup or none, he would always see her as a beautiful woman now. She took his breath away and he ached to hold her and kiss her and seduce her.

  Of all the women he knew, why did it have to be Meg who set his heart pounding? She constantly reminded him they were not well suited. That was an understatement. In too many ways, she definitely wasn’t the woman for him. Not the least of which was the fact that her whole family hated him on sight, equating him with his father and never giving him a chance to prove he was different.

  At the same time, in some basic, essential ways, she was the most desirable woman he had ever known, and that’s what really scared him.

  “Aw, hell,” he whispered to himself as he walked back to his kitchen. “Dammit, Meg. Why did you come back into my life like a cyclone ripping up my world?”

  His little neighbor friend, dependable, sweet Meg whom he trusted with his deepest childhood secrets and disappointments, was the woman who suddenly made him weak in the knees, dazzled him with her looks, took his breath away when he saw her and set him on fire with longing to take her to bed.

  She was a gorgeous woman with silky hair and enormous, thickly lashed brown eyes, a to-die-for body that could set him aflame with desire at just a glimpse. What would she be like in bed? He had a hard-on just thinking about it. How could she do this to him with just her appearance and a few kisses? The sexiest kisses of his entire life. Oh, if he had only known in high school. It was a good thing he hadn’t. He couldn’t lay a hand on her back then. Her dad and older brothers would have come after him. He wouldn’t have been able to live with his conscience, either.

  But now she was a grown woman, over twenty-one and making her own decisions. This whole scenario of her pulling him back into her life had been because she was making her own decisions. She liked to kiss as much as he did and she couldn’t resist doing it, even if she didn’t like his lifestyle and knew he would never be serious no matter how much they made love or how long they lived together.

  Would he have to deal with his conscience if he seduced her? He thought it over, mulling over the past hours he had spent with her, and once again, he told himself she was a grown woman, making her own decisions about her life. If she went to bed with him, it would be because she wanted to make love. She was mature enough to make her choices—otherwise she wouldn’t be asking him to carry off this fake engagement.

  Did she want to make love? Well, she wasn’t exactly saying no to him. And she’d kissed him into a frenzy. That was not the action of a woman who didn’t want to make love.

  He felt better about seduction, kisses and having Meg at his house. He even felt better about the fake engagement, which had worried him at first because he didn’t like the deception and hadn’t thought they could convince anyone they were engaged.

  Her parents already didn’t like him. What would they think if they saw him as a potential in-law? As a kid, when his dad and Meg’s dad had worked together, he had enjoyed spending time with her family because they were very loving. He didn’t have that at home and it had been an eye-opener to be with them.

  Mostly, he hadn’t thought she could convince anyone they were really engaged so quickly. That had been before tonight, when the spark of that kiss had suddenly ignited into a full flame with the magic of her makeover. She had looked gorgeous, sexy and sophisticated. Put that kiss together with her lifelong honesty and he thought she probably could carry off a fake engagement.

  The seduction of Meg. He remembered her stepping close, throwing her leg across his and sitting astride his lap, facing him, challenging him with a kiss that was instant heat. Just thinking about that incident made his temperature climb.

  The fact that Meg would be a challenge in bed and sexy still stunned him. He wondered if he’d ever get over the shock of going from seeing her as a child to viewing her as a desirable woman. A hot, appealing, breathtaking woman. A woman he hoped and dreamed of seducing and having hours with in bed. A fantasy come to life.

  Right now, when she wasn’t even with him and the house was quiet, he should be relaxed after a fun evening with the best-looking woman in the county and a delicious dinner with his family. He should be mellowed out, happy.

  Instead, he was on fire with wanting her, aroused, breaking into a sweat while he tried to think how he could get her into his bed.

  Or was that just a fantasy? What if she didn’t want seduction and he had to do the honorable thing and stay the close friend he had always been?

  He felt as if he was spinning himself in circles. She had sent his life spiraling into chaos. He couldn’t even think straight anymore.

  He groaned and went to the bar to get a beer when he heard her approaching. His pulse raced and eagerness gripped him. It was Meg, he reminded himself. Meg, his friend who trusted him, counted on him to come through for her in all sorts of ways that a best friend would.

  She walked through the door and all his good intentions flamed into ashes as his gaze swept over her. He smiled at her and watched her cross the room toward him, remembering her with the black dress pushed to her waist, the lacy bra tossed aside and her soft, full breasts filling his hands.

  She wore a bulky blue T-shirt, skintight jeans and leather moccasins. Her beautiful blond hair gave her glamour that she had never had before. The makeup she hadn’t washed off just added to it, emphasizing her big, dark brown eyes. He was tempted to take her into his arms and kiss her right now.

  “Wow, even dressed down you look good,” he said, meaning every word. “I can’t wait to take you out tomorrow night. I should have asked you out long before now.”

  She laughed and squeezed his hand. Locks of his dark hair fell on his forehead and she pushed them gently back off his face. “You’re being ridiculous. You don’t really want to take me out, but that’s nice. You’ve had years to invite me out and you had no interest. We are not well suited and you know it.”

  “We’re well suited enough to have a great time together. We’ve always had a good time together. Right now, let me get you something to drink and something to go with it. What would you like?”

&nb
sp; “A glass of iced tea. But I’m not hungry, so I don’t need anything to eat.”

  He stepped close. “I’d like to eat you up,” he said, leaning forward to nuzzle her throat and kiss her ear. He grabbed her wrist and felt her racing pulse.

  She pushed lightly against him. “Whoa, cowboy. Get my tea and pull yourself together. Remember, this is a pretend engagement and you don’t have to pretend when we’re alone.”

  “I’m not pretending,” he said, gazing intently at her. “You’re stunning, Meg,” he said quietly. “I’m still in shock and I can’t get used to the change.”

  “I’m still me and you’ve never wanted to kiss or hug or dance with me before this, so rein it in, my friend, because you and I aren’t going anywhere together beyond this brief favor you’re doing for me. Then it’s adios and we’ll probably go another year before we cross paths again. I’m not your type and you’re not my type. Now, if you can comprehend all that, let’s have a drink,” she said, heading for his kitchen and his fridge.

  He stood and watched the sway of her hips as she walked. He wanted to go after her, grab her around the waist and haul her back into his arms.

  “Damn,” he whispered. He needed to get her out of his hair and out of his life as soon as possible. She was right—they didn’t have a future together and she wouldn’t go to bed with him. She’d only keep him tied in knots in the meantime. His initial gut feeling of dread, when she first asked him for the fake engagement, had been on target. The lady was going to mess up his life for a little while and he needed to guard his heart. He had never before worried about falling in love with someone, but he worried now. He damn well didn’t want to fall in love with her, but could he avoid it?

  “Have a seat, Meg, and I’ll get everything,” he said, taking over getting drinks. She moved to the kitchen table, pulled out a chair and sat to watch him.

  When he had drinks and crackers and slices of Muenster and sharp cheddar cheese ready, he sat across from her and sipped his cold beer.

  “I’ve been thinking, Gabe. How about getting engaged tonight?”

  He swallowed hard. “That’s damn quick.”

  “Maybe, but we’ve known each other all our lives. We’ve gone out together. It’s feasible. We can plan for a wedding far in the future. This is July. How about a spring wedding, like the first week of April, and a wonderful cruise for a honeymoon? That’s so far away, so no one will do anything concrete right now. In the meantime, everyone will think we’re in love because I’ll be living with you.”

  “Until April?” he asked. If he had to live in the same house with her for months, he’d have to take her to bed. Either that or he’d surely go crazy.

  “No, not until April.” She gave him a sassy look, as if she wasn’t sure whether he was teasing her or not. “We have a deal. One month and then you’re off the hook.” She sipped her iced tea. “I’m sure it won’t take any time for Justin to find a new girlfriend, and I’ll bet he does a better job of picking one out this time. Whoever she is, she’ll have his parents’ approval.”

  “What about your folks?”

  “My folks have already given up, I’m sure. My mom understands now and she’ll get the family in line. I’ve told Justin goodbye and—Actually, he told me goodbye. He said if I went out with you, we were through. Either way, I’m free,” she said, waving her arms in the air and then smiling at him.

  “Suppose he’s burned and wants to back off from relationships and take his time, and doesn’t even date?”

  “No. He’ll want to show everyone that losing me means nothing. That he can pick up and go on with his life. Which I hope he does. He won’t hang around waiting for me to change my mind, either. He’ll be angry and he’ll want to show everyone that I didn’t affect his life and he can get along fine without me.”

  “So you want to get engaged tonight,” he said, wondering again how much more upheaval she would cause in his life. “Even when it’s pretend, it’s a big step that gives me sweaty palms.”

  “That’s because we’re not in love. When you’re in love with someone, you won’t feel that way.”

  “Thank you, for the reassuring engagement advice,” he remarked and she stuck her tongue out at him, making him grin.

  He thought for a moment. “They saw us tonight at the club. Tomorrow is Sunday and we can go to my church. If we go to yours, I don’t think I would be welcome. Then—”

  “Of course you’d be welcome at my church. Just not with my family.”

  “Okay. We’ll go to your church and then let’s go to the ranch and come back to Dallas Tuesday. We’ll try to do something special then, and let’s get engaged then instead of tonight. If you’re going out with me and living in my house, you won’t have to date Justin.”

  “True. I think that’s a good idea. My family will definitely not like it when they discover I’m staying with you.”

  “Do I need to be on guard because of your dad and grandfathers?”

  As she shook her head, she laughed. “What a thought. My grandfathers wouldn’t do anything to you. My dad wouldn’t, either.”

  “I don’t agree, but we won’t argue about it,” he said. “If your dad does anything, it will be in the business world.” And he was ready for it.

  As he sat across the table from her and listened to her make plans, he had to admit only half his attention was on what she was telling him. The other half—the lower half, to be exact—was studying her. She had changed into the plain clothes he had seen her wear hundreds of times before. And they had an entire table between them, so he was nowhere near her. None of that mattered. He still wanted to pick her up and sit with her on his lap and kiss her. He didn’t care what she did about the engagement or when. He just wanted her in his arms.

  Despite all their differences, he knew they’d be compatible in bed. But he could never marry someone who didn’t like anything he did outside of the bedroom.

  Marry?

  What was he thinking? It was all pretend, he reminded himself. No one was getting married here!

  He had to remember that.

  He took a deep swig of his beer and tried focusing on what Meg was saying.

  “Anyway, I’m so happy.” She was practically wriggling with glee. “My folks won’t push me to marry at all now. They certainly aren’t going to want me walking down the aisle with you. Sorry.” She shot him a sheepish look.

  “I get it. It’s okay. But if I were you, I wouldn’t assume Justin is a done deal. The way you look now, he is not going to give up that easily.”

  As if to emphasize what he was saying, her phone buzzed. Her eyes widened in a startled look and then she pulled her phone from her pocket, looked at the caller ID and glanced in surprise at him. “It’s Justin.”

  “Told you so.” He stood up. “I’ll leave you so you can talk in private. Good luck.” Gabe picked up his beer and headed outside, closing the door behind him as he heard her quiet hello.

  Gabe suspected Justin would put pressure on her to marry until they announced the engagement.

  That would open up another can of worms, he realized. Her family would hate him more than ever and that was a sobering fact. He was unaccustomed to anyone actively disliking him, and he had respect for her parents and grandparents, and especially liked Mason Aldridge, her rancher grandparent. He wished she didn’t have to let anyone know about the engagement except Justin, but that wouldn’t ever fly. It had to be all her family, too, because they were the ones really worrying her, far more than Justin was. She would have been able to deal with Justin if all the parents had stayed out of it.

  He heard the door and turned as she stepped outside and joined him.

  “You’re right. He wants to see me and talk. He was very persistent. He said he would drop by my office next Tuesday. How do you say no to that one?”

 
“I guess you don’t. Want me to drop by at the same time?”

  She laughed. “Indeed, I don’t. You two don’t need to get into it. I’m sure he doesn’t like you.”

  “Enough about Justin. Want me to surprise you with an elaborate marriage proposal? Or do you just want to keep it simple? We go out and during the evening I give you a ring and then we go tell your parents.”

  “Let’s keep it simple because it isn’t real.” She thought for a moment, then said, “The grandparents that live with my parents are going to Colorado to see my aunt, so after we tell my mom and dad I’ll call both sets of grandparents.”

  “I may have a guilty conscience every time I see Mason Aldridge.”

  “No, you won’t. You’ve got nothing to feel guilty about. You’re coming to my rescue with this fake engagement.”

  Fake engagement. The words resonated in his head. He looked at her. “Is either one of us going to have trouble remembering this engagement isn’t real?”

  “What you’re asking is, will I want the real thing before this is over. No, my friend, I will not. All I have to do is stroll out the door on your ranch and see those big rodeo bulls you raise and sell, and know that you ride them, too. Then see your motorcycle, remember your plane, look at your sports car that will do a hundred miles an hour in the first three seconds or some other ridiculous statistic, and I promise you, I will never want the real thing from you. Not for one teeny, tiny second. And I know you won’t want it from me, because you don’t want the real thing anytime with any person. Right?”

  “You’re on target there.” He saluted her with his beer bottle. “Well, we know where we stand and what we’re going to do. This has turned out to be a simple deal.”

  She clinked his bottle with her glass. “Oh, sure, except for one little surprise—when we kiss, we both lose all rational thought and want the other person in a way that is so fierce it’s scary.”