Edie Earns Her Saddle Read online

  He’s huge!

  Edie tried to quell the shock and arousal pounding through her body, but her head spun so fast and her heart beat so quickly she couldn’t. Was that hard-on for her? And why did she want Seth to unzip his pants and show her what he could do with it? The thought made her clit pulse.

  He must have felt her because he pulled a fraction away and looked down at her, his indigo eyes darkening with a heat even she recognized. Edie gulped down some air and tried to look away from the intense look on his face, but he held her captive.

  Edie could not breathe, and her mind went blank. Seth’s full lips hovered over hers for a brief second, almost as if asking permission, and she angled her face toward his. But someone ran into her, almost knocking her sideways if not for Seth’s arms tightening around her.

  “Sorry,” she said after she straightened in his embrace. “That guy—” She watched as his eyes flicked back to her mouth. All of a sudden, the intensity of his gaze intimidated her. “E–excuse me,” she stammered, and, like the chicken she was, she fled.

  First, she could not conjure up enough confidence to talk to Jason when he tried to talk to her earlier, and now she just ran out on his brother. She needed to take some lessons in sophistication and flirting. She bet all those ridiculously pretty girls who gave her the evil eye when she danced with Seth did not run out on him when he tried to kiss them.

  She needed to find the bathroom. Fast. Then she would call Lena and get some best friend pow-wow time so she would be able to walk out the door tomorrow morning. As it was, Edie wanted to lock herself in a stall and not come out until she knew Seth wasn’t there any—

  She ran smack into a big, broad chest so hard it sent her reeling backward. Her arms flailed out, trying to grab hold of anything that would keep her upright, but two strong hands clamped on to her arms and held her steady in their gentle grip.

  “I’ve got you, Edie.”

  Oh, no. She knew that voice. Damn it. Could she not catch a break?

  She looked up from where her fingers clutched at a black shirt and met Jason’s ice-like eyes. Only this time, they carried a hint of warmth, and a wry smile graced his lips.

  “You okay?”

  Jason’s face completely changed when he smiled. And this was only a half-smile. Edie wondered how much damage a full one would do to her heart. Right now it fluttered in her chest. Or skipped a beat. She could not decide which with him looking at her like that.

  She nodded her head. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going and—”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you didn’t fall or anything.”

  Edie realized his thumbs drew circles on her skin. She fought the urge to close her eyes and relish in the sensation.

  “Thanks for, um—” Edie, take your hands off his chest. “For catching me.”

  His body heat seeped into her skin and, belatedly, she realized her panties were wet with her arousal.

  “Anytime.”

  Edie knew that was the standard response that replaced “you’re welcome” in this town, but the way he said it, his voice low and a little gravelly, made her cheeks warm. She was about to say something when she heard shouting behind her. Edie swiveled her head around and felt Jason’s body tense.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He released his soft grip on her arms and stepped away from her, and she missed him being so close.

  “Fight broke out. I gotta go.”

  She was about to tell him to be careful, but when he stepped around her, she looked at his solid frame packed with tight, hard muscle and came to the conclusion that she should save her warnings for the people he was about to deal with.

  He turned around to look at her, and she saw the cold look returned.

  “Go to the ladies’ room and don’t come out for five minutes,” he told her, his voice hard.

  “What?”

  “Just in case it spreads, I want you out of the way. Promise me you’ll stay there for five minutes before you come out.”

  “Jason—”

  “Promise me, Edie. I won’t be able to do my job right if I’m worrying about you.” His voice still had its hard edge, but his eyes softened a fraction.

  Her heart squeezed in her chest.

  “All right. I promise.”

  He flashed her a quick smile before he leaned in and brushed a soft kiss on her cheek. He lingered for a moment, and Edie inhaled his masculine scent, memorizing it before he pulled away.

  “Five minutes.” He looked pointedly in her eyes.

  “Yes. Five minutes.”

  “Good.”

  With that, he turned away from her and walked toward the ruckus, his strides purposeful yet relaxed.

  His ass looked great in those pants.

  Chapter Three

  Edie walked through downtown Liebling, her big hobo bag slung around her shoulder and over her chest. The mission she set for herself today was to refresh their pantry’s dwindling breakfast food supplies and to find a few pounds of good coffee. Maybe some Guatemala or even some Sumatra to go with the scones she and Lena planned on making tomorrow morning.

  Edie browsed for a few minutes before picking up a bag of dark roast and smelling it. She preferred medium roast, but a girl had to make her guests happy, right? Grabbing three bags of it, she turned around and bumped into someone.

  “Oh, my goodness. I am so sorry.” She reached out for the shelving to catch her balance and knocked a few packages of tea and coffee over. Each dull thud on the floor heightened her embarrassment, so she concentrated on finding her footing and straightening her clothes before she gained the courage to face the person she ran into. “I’m so sorry. Obviously, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” She straightened the remaining items on the shelf and turned to the stranger she almost knocked over.

  “No, it’s perfectly fine.”

  The stranger swiped her hands over her expensive looking—and tight fitting—white dress and smoothed out some invisible wrinkles. If Edie hadn’t been so impressed by how well the other woman fit into the dress, she would have been offended by the other woman’s obvious attempts at brushing her off.

  The other woman stood half a head taller than she, and her slim frame made Edie glance down at her own generous curves in disappointment.

  “I didn’t get you dirty or anything, did I?”

  “Oh, no. Everything is all right. No harm done. I was actually reaching for the bag next to the ones you picked up. It’s my fault. I’m Cassandra Barrett.”

  Cassandra’s offered hand was perfectly manicured in a dark shade of purple, and her skin felt soft against Edie’s palm. Edie always thought her own hands to be a little rough because, as an artist, she constantly worked with her hands. Cassandra’s shoulder-length hair came down in rich, strawberry blonde waves. Her eyebrows were perfectly groomed, her teeth dazzling white, and her makeup looked freshly applied even in the Texas summer heat.

  I wish I could look so sophisticated all the time.

  “I’m Edie Bishop. It’s so nice to meet you. Are you new in town? Because I’m pretty new here, but I feel like I’ve met almost everyone here.”

  “I just arrived last night, actually. I’m renting one of the houses outside of town. I plan on being here for the next few weeks.”

  “Really? Are you looking for a new place to live?”

  “Oh, no. Just some personal things I need to take care of. I know a couple of the families here, and I just want to catch up on some things. I was actually hoping to find a place that serves some iced coffee or something, but I haven’t been able to find one.”

  “Well, I can help you there. I was just about to head back to my B&B. You’re more than welcome to come along and have a latté or something. It’s the least I can do after almost knocking you over in the middle of the grocery store.”

  They chatted on the way back to the B&B. Edie found out Cassandra spent the first ten years of her life in London, which explained her
way of phrasing some of her words and her very polished, European way of dressing. Edie did not know how Cassandra managed not to sweat in the summer heat.

  When they walked up to the little red gate in front of The Sweet Spot, Cassandra stopped short.

  “Oh, this is adorable, Edie. So unbelievably charming.”

  Edie could not help but agree. The B&B sat at the top of a rolling hill, and trees and wildflowers surrounded the property. The house itself was quaint and sweet, and the wrap-around porches on the ground level and second floor gave it a country feeling.

  “Thanks. My business partner and I think so, too.”

  They climbed the steps leading up toward the house. “You have a business partner?”

  “Yeah. She’s my best friend, too.” Edie opened the front door with its stained-glass paneling. “Her name’s Lena. The kitchen’s this way.” She led the way and talked over her shoulder as she went. “She just got engaged to the two most wonderful guys. They’re just perfect. One’s a doctor, and the other is an artist. Really good with his hands, if you know what I mean.”

  Cassandra smirked along with Edie. “Yes, I do.”

  Edie pulled out a stool and offered for Cassandra to sit at the kitchen island bar while she prepared their iced coffees.

  “So, Cassandra, are you here for someone from your past? Is that why you’re back?”

  Cassandra propped her elbows on the counter and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. “Yes, that is why I came back. I swore I never would after things didn’t work out, but what can I say?” She shrugged an elegant shoulder. “I have a weakness for untamable men.”

  Edie took two tall glasses out and reached into the refrigerator for her iced coffee mix. “How exciting. I’m jealous. I haven’t been able to find anyone special.”

  “You must be joking. There are so many attractive men in this town.”

  Edie blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Yeah, I hear ya. Who knew there could be such a high concentration of hotness in such a small town? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve met a few very handsome men, but nothing’s come of it so far.” She poured the brew into their cups and pulled out some milk and sugar. “Would you like any?”

  Cassandra shook her head. “No, no. I drink my coffee black. I can’t stand anything too sweet.”

  Something about the way Cassandra said the last few words made Edie glance over her shoulder to look at her, but when Cassandra simply smiled in return, Edie shrugged the odd feeling off. Perhaps she was just over-analyzing it, but there was some sort of intensity in Cassandra’s words, something Edie just could not put her finger on.

  Edie set a glass in front of her and put milk and sugar into her own. Then she grabbed a bowl of fruit and set it between them. “So who are these guys you’re looking for?”

  Cassandra took a sip from her glass. “This is quite good. Very good.” She set the glass down. “I don’t even know if they’re here anymore. It’s been a few years. I didn’t want to call just in case they weren’t here or if they didn’t want to see me. So here I am.”

  “I think that’s romantic. And it must have been quite something for you to come back after all this time.”

  “Oh, believe me, it was. They showed me things about myself I didn’t even know. I start flushing just thinking about it.” Cassandra fanned her hand next to her face. “Goodness, I don’t even know why I’m telling you all of this. I hope you don’t think badly of me.”

  “No! Not at all. Since I live vicariously through Lena, I’m used to hearing all the gory details.”

  “Good. If there’s one thing I remember from my short stint in this town, it’s that women are in short supply. It was hard to find someone to talk to.”

  “Well, all of your secrets are safe with me.”

  “In that case, then, let me tell you about this one time they took me to the coast for a weekend.”

  They talked and gossiped over another serving of iced coffee. Apparently, the men Cassandra came to see were explosive in bed, in a car, on boats, anywhere a flat surface—horizontal or vertical—could be found. Edie promised herself she would find that sort of passion if it killed her. After hearing Lena talking about it, and now Cassandra, Edie felt like she was missing out on something.

  “I hope that I’ll find a couple of guys like yours here. Whew! I didn’t think some of that was possible.”

  “Believe me, I didn’t, either.” Cassandra pushed away from the counter. “I have to be going now, otherwise I’d ask for another helping of these cookies.”

  “I’m glad you liked them.”

  “They’re delicious. I might have to stop by in a couple of days to have more.”

  “Of course. We’ve always got good sweets on hand. The guests go crazy if we don’t.”

  “I can imagine. I’ll see you.”

  Edie just finished washing the glasses and brewing up more coffee when she heard heavy footsteps echoing down the hall. Was that one of the guests who recently checked out?

  “Is that you, Mr. Carmichael?” She did find a pair of expensive looking shoes in the room he and his wife stayed in. She reached up and set a mug in its place in the cabinet and turned around. The man, or men, she saw were most definitely not Mr. Carmichael. “Jason. Seth. Hi. I, um, would you like something to eat?”

  Why, why, why did she have to say that? Would you like something to eat? Cassandra would have said something more sophisticated and charming. Edie thought she sounded like her grandmother.

  Jason’s gaze raked over her. “Are we talking food?”

  She swallowed down the lump in her throat. “I have, um...” She spun around and gave them her back.

  Breathe. Just breathe.

  Her gaze landed on all of the goodies she put on display every morning, but her eyes did not really see anything. She closed her eyes and rattled off the first food items that came to mind. Never mind the fact they just happened to be some of her favorite things to eat.

  “I have some snickerdoodles and buttermilk pie, and I have the ingredients to make scones, if you like.” A big, warm body came up behind hers, and she tensed. “I also have coffee and tea.”

  “We just stopped by to say hello. No need to feed us everything in your pantry.” The voice belonged to Seth. He took her shoulders in his hands and turned her around. For some strange reason, she realized his palm was bigger than her entire shoulder.

  His body dwarfed hers. She never thought of herself as particularly small, but with him crowding her against the counter with his big chest and his thick arms boxing her in, she felt breakable.

  Mere inches separated her face from Seth’s, and she could smell his sunshine, clean cotton, and man musk scent. She tried to keep her nostrils from flaring when she breathed him in deep.

  She said the first thing that came to her mind. “So you’re not hungry?”

  His lips curled into a slow, sensual smile, and it made his features look so boyishly handsome. “No, we’re good. But it’s nice you keep askin’.”

  “Oh,” she breathed.

  He leaned in, and her breath caught in her throat.

  “Yeah.” His lips brushed against her cheek, and she couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the way his arms bunched when he put more of his weight on them. He lingered next to her, their cheeks touching, then suddenly he stepped back. He leaned against the island countertop and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “What are you up to next weekend?”

  She tried playing hard to get. “We have some guests coming in that week, so Lena and I will be busy trying to get things ready for them.”

  Jason walked up to them and leaned against the counter next to Seth. “And it’s going to take all weekend.” He did not phrase it like a question. He said it like he saw right through her.

  “N–no. Not all weekend.”

  “So you do have time, then.”

  “Well, it depends.” Ha. Take that.

  “Depends on what?” Seth’s lips quirked around the ed
ges, and his eyes twinkled with amusement.

  “On whether or not everything gets done before Friday evening. And then the guy is coming over on Saturday—”

  “What guy?” Jason’s gaze lasered in on her.

  Wow. He’s intense.

  “The landscaper guy. He comes out every other week to cut the grass and make sure the tree branches don’t get too heavy. All the heavy work, really.”

  “Why are you paying some guy to do it? We can help you with that.” Seth looked at her as if he was offended she hadn’t thought of asking them.

  “No, no. It’s fine. I bet y’all are already busy with Cedar Ridge and everything.”

  “Sure, but are you sure this guy is legit? We can check him out for you,” Jason offered.

  “It’s fine, really. He’s been coming since we first opened, and I haven’t been hacked into pieces. I’m sure he’s a nice guy.”

  “Not everybody is nice, you know.” Jason’s voice went hard all of a sudden.

  “I know. Thank you for offering, though. I appreciate it. And I’ll keep y’all in mind if I ever need any help.

  “Good.” Seth grinned at her. “So you’re free once the lawn guy is done, then.”

  What was it about the Chisholm men that made them phrase everything as a statement rather than a question?

  “Yes,” Edie replied. “Why?”

  “Because you’re coming out with us to do some shooting.” Jason sounded very sure of himself.

  Edie crossed her arms under her breasts and did not miss the fact that their eyes shot to her cleavage. She tried to fight the urge to cover herself up. The way they looked at her made her feel naked. “I’m going, am I?”

  “Oh, yeah, cupcake.”

  “Cupcake?”

  Jason shrugged a meaty shoulder. “Yeah. It suits you.”

  “I like it,” Seth said. “They’re cute and little and sweet. Like you.”

  Edie did not know what to say. She did not want them to think she was cute. She wanted them to think of her like she did of them—sexy, beautiful, and completely irresistible.