Page 2 of Big Filthy Cowboy

The flush on my cheeks is from anger at having this perfect stranger invade my space and make this tiny inventory room seem the size of a cupboard. It’s not arousal. Not even a little bit of arousal. I cross my arms over my chest to hide the anger that has clearly caused my nipples to turn into sharp points. “You can help with this?”

He looks me up and down, licking his lips in an exaggerated motion that indicates he likes what he sees. “Oh, yeah. This cowboy can ride all night long.”

He’s being ridiculous. Surely, this is just some silly joke to him. One where I’m the punchline. “You can’t say stuff like that to people!”

He straightens from the doorframe, heat sparking in his gaze. He leans close to me and why is it suddenly so hot in here? Why is this tiny cupboard shrinking even more? Have I passed out again? Am I lying somewhere with a head injury this time?

He glances at my lips, angling his head closer to me. If he leaned down just a couple more inches, he could kiss me. My face tingles at the thought. “I didn’t say it to people. I said it to my future wife.”

I snort at that. Yeah, I’ve definitely fainted. I wonder if I’ll remember this delusion when my head injury heals. “You don’t even know who I am.”

“I know my future is standing right in front of me.”

So, he’s not purple, but I’m in serious danger of swooning. That’s totally a side effect of whatever happened when I hit my head. I’m not sure which one of us I’m talking to when I say, “You need help.”

I reach for a heavy box, trying to figure out if I’m awake or not. The one time I had vivid dreams after hitting my head, nothing felt real. When my fingertips brush the cardboard, I’m pretty sure I am awake.

OK, then the cowboy is nuts. I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve heard the rumors that the happily married women here in Courage whisper about. They talk of gruff cowboys and grumpy mountain men who fall madly in love with a woman in a single glance.

The cowboy scowls at me and takes the box from my hands before I can lift it. “We’re discussingyourneed for help.”

The way he says it leaves no doubt what he meant. Could I do that? Could I take a perfect stranger up on his offer to give me a few orgasms?

“Barrett, is that you?” Linda calls from the production room.

Oh, no. No, no, no. I recognize the name Barrett. That’s her son. I’m standing here in my good friend’s candle shop while her sexy-as-sin son flirts with me. My cheeks heat even hotter. Is spontaneous combustion a real thing? I need to look that up on the internet because I’m pretty sure it’s about to happen to me. “I have to go.”

Before Barrett can say anything or Linda can roll into the room, I duck my head and sprint for the door. Without looking back, I jog from her shop into the back of mine, only pausing to put my hands on my knees and gulp in oxygen when I’m safelyback in my kitchen. My heart pounds in my chest, and I try to take calming breaths.

Coco, my tan Chihuahua and fur baby, tilts her head at me as if she’s asking me what I’m running from. I keep the kitchen blocked off so she can’t accidentally wander back here, but she must have found a way around the doggie gate again.

“You’ll never believe this!” I tell her as I scoop her into my arms and march back to her special play area. “I just met Tiny Bear, and he’s not tiny at all!”

Chapter 2

Barrett

Iblink and watch the curvy goddess that was plucked from my dreams disappear.

The sound of my mom’s motorized wheelchair shakes me from my fantasy that involves breeding my good girl against every flat surface in my home. I didn’t even realize I wanted kids or the whole picket fence thing until I saw her. Then all at once, everything slotted into place for me. The reason I’ve never found a woman I wanted—it’s because I was meant for her. Meant to be her soulmate.

“Sorry, I’m late,” I apologize to my mom. She adopted me and my three brothers. The four of us were just unwanted troublemakers, moving from house to house. But she gave us a home. I’ll always be grateful for that.

“Did Skip get out again?” She asks, her tone laced with amusement.

Skip is my three-legged mutt. Found him on the side of the road with an infected leg. I got him to the vet, but by then the damage had been done. Despite everything, he’s a happy guy who follows me around. Well, most of the time. He’s known for pulling a runner every now and again.

“Yeah, I tracked him down to the creek. Who was the woman?” I don’t bother trying to keep the curiosity out of my tone. Don’t reckon I’m going to be able to hide these feelings for very long, not that I want to. I want the world to know the curvy goddess is mine. Just have to get her name first.

Mom’s face lights up. I swear this woman has never met a stranger a day in her life. She always sees the good in everyone, even a mutt like me. “That’s Sadie. I told you about her, the girl from the donut shop. She left you something over there on the counter.”

I charge toward the cash counter, barely able to keep myself from running. There are two white boxes. The bigger one holds six donuts, and the second one has a small notecard on top of it.

I open the box first. I’m greeted by the sight of a cream-filled donut with frosting intricately placed. It takes me a minute to understand what it is—a bear’s face.

Sadie made this for me. She doesn’t even know me. At least, she didn’t until a few minutes ago when I proudly told her I could give her all theOs she’d need for a lifetime. There was just something about coming upon her cute heart-shaped ass. Then the way she responded when I teased her, blushing that soft pink color.

Reaching for the brightly colored card designed for kids, I quickly read the delicate, feminine scrawl:Tiny bear, come by the bakery and you can sample the frosting anytime.

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