Page 9 of Wrangling a Wild Texan

Beneath its huge glowing magnificence, she felt small and insignificant . . . or maybe she’d always felt small and insignificant. Maybe that was why she tried so hard to be liked. She wanted to prove she mattered. But as she floated there, she realized she didn’t matter. Everyone seemed to be moving on with their lives just fine without her. The Holiday sisters had their new husbands and babies . . . and each other. Corbin had his investment business, the ranch, Belle, and a baby onthe way. Jesse had the bed-and-breakfast, Liberty, and another sweet baby arriving soon. Once they started their families, Sunny would just be the ditzy sister and auntie who showed up occasionally, but didn’t really contribute anything.

Now she didn’t even have her art to hide behind.

Just her stupid smile.

“Bullshit!”

The shrieked word had her heart almost jumping out of her chest as she popped up and glanced around.

Something moved toward her through the water.

Something big and fast.

She couldn’t help thinking of the scaly monster in the movie. She scrambled to get out of its way, but she wasn’t fast enough and it plowed right into her, taking her down under in a tangle of . . . hard muscle and warm skin.

Chapter Four

At first, Reid thought he’d run into a dead tree limb. But when the tree limb kicked at him, he realized his mistake. He grabbed the foot that came inches from his family jewels and surfaced to find . . .

“Sunshine.” The word came out of his mouth like a curse. She didn’t seem to take offense. She was too busy thrashing around and drowning.

He released her foot and hooked an arm around her waist, reeling her in. As soon as her body came in contact with his, he realized two things.

One, it had been way too long since he’d held a woman and he’d forgotten how damn good it felt.

And two, she was naked.

Sweet soft breasts melted against him, but it was the hard nipples drilling his chest that gave her state of clothing away.

His cock perked up and then jumped to full attention like a sleeping dog who had just gotten a whiff of a grilling T-bone steak.

Reid instantly released her and tried to swim away. Unfortunately, she had latched on to him like a life raft. Her hands clutched his shoulders while her legs were wrappedaround his waist, her curvy ass brushing the top of his raging erection with each rippling wave.

There was a moment, one insane moment, when Reid actually thought about sliding his hands over that sweet ass and taking what his body so obviously wanted. She had made it clear that she wanted him. Even now, her moonlit eyes were filled with heat and a twinkle of excitement. He knew sex with her would be wild and exciting. And if anyone needed a little wild excitement, it was Reid. All his life he had chosen to walk the straight and narrow and look where it had gotten him.

He had no savings.

No woman.

And a belligerent teenager who hated his guts.

Of course, having sex with Sunny wasn’t going to change any of those things. Even if he wanted a permanent relationship—which he didn’t—Sunny wasn’t the permanent relationship type. She was interested in him for one reason and one reason only. To entertain her while she was here. Once she grew bored with him, she would easily drop him like a hot potato. Or throw him under the bus with her brother.

Then he’d have no savings and no job.

Ignoring his body’s demands, he leaned back and kicked toward the shallows. Once he could stand, he untangled her limbs from around him and headed for shore. He hoped she would continue her swim and leave him the hell alone.

He wasn’t that lucky.

As soon as he grabbed his towel to dry off, he heard splashes behind him. He turned to see her walking out of the springs like a glorious, moonlit water nymph. He quickly turned back around, but not before the image of grapefruit-sized breasts topped with large rose-colored nipples was seared into his brain.

“So I guess you swim here often,” she said.

He spotted her clothes lying on a nearby rock—something he wished he’d spotted earlier— and grabbed them, shoving them at her without turning. She laughed. She had one of those husky laughs that settled in a man’s soul . . . and lower. He could still pound nails with the erection pressing against his wet swim trunks.

He needed to get out of there and he needed to get out of there now.

He picked up his boots and headed for the path that led to the trailer. He’d only taken a few steps when a sharp rock bit into his heel. Pain shot up his leg and had him cursing and hopping on one foot. Sunny’s laughter made him even more hopping mad.

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