Page 22 of The Texas Cowboy's Lady

“No kisses either? I remember there were kisses involved in Beaudry and Sammi Jo’s high noon.”

“Absolutely never any kisses. Glad you find this so amusing.”

“Well, that’s not amusing at all. And you know that sounds like a challenge. It might be interesting to see just how solid thatneveris in that statement—when you aren’t in one of your prissy moods.”

That does it.Fire had to have been blazing from her eyes, because she could feel the heat boiling upward inside her. The heat of anger, not anything else!

“Leave my moods out of this. This is about the fact that you have been going behind my back, sneaking over to see the puppy, letting people think you’re the one in charge of him, and even giving him a silly name. Little Duke. What kind of name is that for him? I am the owner, so I get to name him.”

“This is about the puppy?” Jaxson seemed to have finally caught up with the subject at hand. Why did she sense there was some humor he found in it when she was dead serious?

“Do you find this funny?”

“I find this whole subject silly. No one ‘snuck’ anyplace. Last I looked, this was a free country, where I can drive anyplace at any time I choose to do so in my truck. And since I was involved in his rescue, I had every right to check on his care if I wanted to, without checking in or getting permission fromyou.”

But he wasn’t finished.

“And while on the subject, you hadn’t bothered to name the animal, and I was asked about it, so I chose a strong name for the little pup who went through a lot and survived. I named him after Duke Wayne—you should know him, a huge celebrity from the movies and all.”

That threw her off a bit, but not enough. “Yes, I know who John Wayne is. He is a legend and what cowboyswishthey were. Don’t weallwish that? But we have to get along with just regular guys in cowboy hats. Although one thing about John Wayne—he looked a person in the eyes without hiding behind any sunglasses.”

A couple of moments of silence followed.Maybe a bit too far, Laurel.She watched as Jaxson removed his glasses, folded them slowly, and then slid them inside his leather vest pocket. And she shouldn’t have mentioned the glasses, because when Jaxson hit you with those incredible emerald-green eyes framed by dark lashes, it made most females take a breath or two to remember what they were saying or doing.

And her brain blanked.

“That better, princess? Do I need to repeat what I just said to have you hear it? What name do you think the pup needs? And just who do you think will take care of that dog when you head to the bright lights again? When the sun becomes too blazing hot, the sandstorms kick up, and you can’t see the end of your nose? When the cold is mind-numbing or the rain won’t stop for days? All those things you named when you left Texas the first time. All the things you wanted to leave behind. You’ll leave him behind too.”

“I namedyoutoo. The list of things I wouldn’t miss. You left out that part.”

He gave a derisive shrug. “So I did. What name did you choose?” He changed the subject fast enough to make her have to switch gears and appear confused.

“I... it was... it’s not definite yet. But you just know that I am staying here and that puppy is coming home with me.”

“What home?”

That stopped her just as she was about to turn and walk away.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Where exactly is your home? The main house on Aces High? One of those condos they’re going to put up on your site, if the weather doesn’t throw them more off schedule? That’ll be another few months. Or do you have something else in mind? Maybe Sean will let him share his apartment in the house.”

“Hey, you two, my wife is hungry, and I’ve been sent to round you up and get you moving. Now.” Beaudry appeared, and Laurel was grateful for the appearance of that particular Hawkes brother.

“Sorry, I just needed to set something straight with your brother. All is good now. I’m starving too. I’ll beat you both back to the cars.” She didn’t wait to hear anything from them.

Chapter Ten

“Itrusted youboth, and both of you just left me out in the cold.” Matt Matteo sat his plate of food on the table. Its mounds of barbequed ribs, brisket, and sausage, along with sides of potato salad and pinto beans, were ready to do battle with his appetite. A cold bottle of cerveza filled the empty space next to his seat at the long picnic table. “Remind me to do that next time you have a legal problem that needs my immediate attention.”

“What are you mumbling about?” Jaxson was finishing off the bowl of cherry cobbler in front of him. Beaudry, not one to let words interrupt his appetite, kept eating.

“Neither of you told me about the blonde from Hollywood by the name of CeeCee Lane. That she was here in our town and single and a knockout.”

“Sorry about that. Guess it slipped our minds, what with running a few hundred thousand acres and watching out for fires and empty water holes and the like. Beaudry, from now on, you need to do a better of job of keeping an eye out for females and reporting them to our pal here.” Jaxson flashed a not-too-sorry grin at the attorney.

“I’d get right on that one, but since my wife might not think too highly of that idea, I’ll leave single females up to you to handle. Looked like you had things well in hand taking the lady for a walk to the stables after dinner the other night.”

“I see how it is. Jax, my old buddy here, is saving the best for himself.”

---