Page 16 of Wrangling a Wild Texan

This time, Melba cut him off. “I have a terrier mix I call Faith Hill. And Patsy Cline, the cutest little lop-eared rabbit you’ve ever seen.”

“A rabbit?” Sophie came up. Once again, the teenager looked like she’d gotten into her mother’s makeup drawer without permission. “I love rabbits!”

Reid shook his head. “No rabbit, Soph.”

Sophie sent Reid the same glare he had just sent Sunny before she whirled and stomped off.

“Oops,” Mrs. Stokes said. “I didn’t mean to cause a family tiff. I just thought a pet might help out a young girl who’s obviously grieving.”

Melba sent Reid a hopeful look. “Patsy really is a sweetheart. She uses a litter box and loves to cuddle and is a spry little thing—even though she’s missing a foot.”

Sunny’s heart broke. “She’s missing a foot? What happened?”

“The shelter I got her from didn’t know. But with the clean cut, they think it’s possible that someone just wanted a lucky rabbit’s foot.”

“That’s horrible. The poor thing.”

Melba’s eyes lit up. “She would make a great pet for an artist.”

Sunny had never owned a pet in her life and not because she didn’t love animals. She adored animals. Adored them so much, she didn’t want to saddle them with an irresponsible pet owner who couldn’t stay in one place for longer than a few months. Like kids, pets should have a stable home. Sunny’s life was about thefurthest thing from stable. She refused to be like her parents and take on responsibilities she couldn’t handle.

“I’m sorry, Melba, but my apartment in Houston doesn’t allow pets.”

Melba didn’t look at all disappointed. In fact, she winked. “That’s the one thing about life . . . things change when you least expect it. Now I think I’ll go help myself to one of those lemon bars.”

“That sounds like a good idea, Mel,” Mrs. Stokes said. “I think I’ll join you.”

Once the two ladies were gone, Sunny was stuck with grumpy Reid who looked like he had eaten an entire tree of lemons. She had hoped to avoid him, but now she figured it was best to let him get all his anger out.

“Well, go ahead. Let me have it.”

Those champagne eyes narrowed on her and he leaned in close, causing desire to zing through her body like a pinball lighting up all her erroneous zones.

What was the matter with her? Why did this grumpy, annoying man turn her into a limp noodle of lust?

The lust only grew when he spoke in a sexy, raspy voice. “Oh, I’d love nothing more than to let you have it.”Let me have it. Please let me have it.“You had no business teaching Sophie that lying was the best way to get out of trouble. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you exactly what I think of you without becoming the topic of gossip at Nothin’ But Muffins—‘Did you hear about how big bad Reid Mitchell made sweet Sunny Whitlock boohoo at her surprise birthday party?’”

She tried to ignore the virile scent of horses and leather that wafted from his body like the most potent aphrodisiac. “Boohooing is not really my thing.”

He studied her. This close, she could see the different shades of gold and brown that contributed to the unique champagnecolor of his eyes. She knew if she mixed dozens of colors of paint, she would never get this color exactly right. “Is that why you didn’t go running to your brother and tell him about what happened at Cooper Springs? Or are you saving that piece of information to blackmail me with later?”

The man certainly knew how to get emotions out of her. Anger flooded her, erasing all traces of lust. Sunny had never wanted to physically harm anyone in her life, but she wanted to harm this man. She wanted to punch the smug look off his face with her fist.

And she couldn’t. Not when the entire town watched.

She pinned on a smile and spoke through her teeth. “As much as you think I’m the devil, I have no intentions of telling anyone about what happened last night at Cooper Springs. Although whoever was eavesdropping on our conversation might.”

“What are you talking about? Someone else was there last night?”

“You didn’t hear them yell out ‘bullshit’?”

His eyes narrowed. “What game are you playing? That was you.”

“Nope. Someone was hiding in the trees.”

He looked confused. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because you were too busy telling me what a spoiled little rich girl I am and how you want nothing to do with me.” She should have left it at that and walked away, but she just couldn’t do it. “Funny, but that’s not what your body said when we were snuggled like two peas in a pod in Cooper Springs.” She stepped closer and rested her hand on his chest. Beneath the starched fabric of his shirt, she felt his pectoral muscle jump and flex. When she lifted her gaze, his eyes swirled with something that made her breath catch.

---